19th Century "Grand Tour" Bronze Ewer With Serpent Handle

Details

Description

Exquisite jewel of a bronze in the manner of European "Grand Tour" souvenirs. Featuring a stepped base with an elegantly … Read more Exquisite jewel of a bronze in the manner of European "Grand Tour" souvenirs. Featuring a stepped base with an elegantly curved body and handle in the shape of a scaly serpent. The beautiful dark, rich patina really makes the piece sing. Measures 4”w at widest point to the edge of serpent's mouth.

More about Grand Tour souvenirs: "In the 18th and early 19th century, wealthy young Englishmen embarked to the Continent on lengthy travels, known as the Grand Tour. The voyage could last months or even years, and was ostensibly meant to round out one’s education, which still emphasized a strong knowledge of Classical arts and architecture, languages, history, literature, and philosophy. Many young people also spent their time collecting art and artifacts to prove that they had been on the Grand Tour. Later in the 19th century, the advent of rail and steamship travel allowed more middle-class adventurers to continue the tradition of the Grand Tour. Following a specific itinerary that primarily included stops in Italy and France, Grand Tourists visited archeological excavations in the hope of witnessing the exhuming of pottery or sculptural artifacts. As the number of Grand Tourists grew, so did the demand for ancient artifacts to be taken home as souvenirs. Italian craftspeople saw this as an opportunity for new business, and a cottage industry emerged providing “objet d’art” celebrating the Classical world." See less